The topic of homelessness is both controversial and troubling. Yes, I want to reach out to those in need of food and shelter; but, no, I don’t want to enable those who take advantage of the situation. The Lord brought this academic inner discussion to a head recently by providing an incident for my testing.
On my way into Safeway on a bitter cold morning, I spied a young man seated on the sidewalk next to the building not too far from the entrance. He wore a full-looking backpack as well as adequate covering for such a day, but his unusual seated position stood out. I immediately labeled him as homeless and I wondered what my response should be. As I passed by him, he made no attempt to win my attention, so I felt relieved, initially.
As I did my small amount of shopping, his appearance kept flashing back into my mind. Should I give him something to help or would that merely foster dependence in him? I silently asked God for wisdom and concluded that if the homeless man said something to me on my way out, I would act.
A few minutes later, I had finished shopping and left, soon approaching the subject of my prayers. He looked up with a strained but humble appearance on his pale face and asked if I could give him something to eat. He seemed clean and didn’t smell of alcohol or smoke of any kind. I guessed him to be around his early twenties, around the age of two of my grandsons.
I searched through my purse and found a rare five-dollar bill which I handed to him. He thanked me. I explained that I worked for Union Gospel Mission and asked if he’d contacted them. He said he had, and that they were full. That seemed doubtful, but I suppose it could be true. Then I left.
Although I felt unsure of his honesty, I experienced a blessing from the event. That day and the days to come, I continued to pray for him and wondered how he was doing. What had caused him to be outside in the cold instead of home with his family? Any number of scenarios filled my thoughts as possibilities. I didn’t know how he got there, but God did, and he had used me to help, I grew to believe. Then, I recalled a familiar verse which further comforted me in my decision:
” €¦’I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me’ €¦” Matthew 25:40 NLT
Dianna
Sharing the Fruit of Maturity
photo credit: shutterstock.com